


Your Guarded Soul, Now Known

by KatyaTrixie



Series: perhaps love [3]
Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Anger, Angst, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Jealousy, Just soft soft soft, Mary is a badass, Resurrection, Spellwell - Freeform, Their Love Is So, Women In Power, did someone wear my leather coat?, just two big softies in love, make room for the matriarchy, zelda is decent at feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:35:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26520763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatyaTrixie/pseuds/KatyaTrixie
Summary: Mary Wardwell has been resurrected, Lilith's gift to Zelda as she departed.
Relationships: Zelda Spellman & Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith, Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith, spellwell
Series: perhaps love [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1822018
Comments: 29
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a gently sweet love-filled chapter, maybe a taste of angst, if you blink you'll miss it

She blinked her eyes twice, three times, breathing deeply, the sensation somewhat like a dive into an icy pool of water, jarring and life-giving simultaneously.

  
  


Rubbing the tips of her fingers against the fabric of the garment she wore, there was a certain familiarity, and she curled her toes into the soft dirt where she stood. These sensations returned slowly, one by one, and now the last made its way back into her consciousness, and she heard a voice, distant and faint, calling her name.

  
  


Turning much too quickly towards the sound, the world tilted, the voice’s owner running to catch her as she tumbled, warm hands grasping her waist, the scent of cigarettes, amber, and crushed roses washing over her, and, lifting her head, her eyes met the luminous, tear-filled gaze, the euphonious voice speaking her name again and again.

  
  
  


Reaching towards her, Mary’s still clumsy fingers traced Zelda’s cheek, catching the first tear as it fell from her eye.

  
  
  


“Zelda?” She struggled to speak, the word emerging as a question, but she knew the woman’s identity as well as she knew her own. “Oh, Zelda, my love.”

  
  


She leaned to press a kiss against the woman’s warm cheek, her still cool lips a welcome shock to Zelda’s face, her tears continuing to flow.

  
  


“Mary, I’ve got you,” Zelda brought Mary to her, holding on as if she were afraid to release her, until the woman pulled back slightly, brushing red hair back from Zelda’s face, looking deeply into jade eyes. 

“Just like always.” Leaning on Zelda, they slowly made their way to the rocks, for Mary appeared exhausted, and Zelda wasn’t quite sure she trusted her legs to hold her up at the moment.

  
  
  


The sun rising behind them warmed their shoulders on the crisp morning, and Mary, staring at the trees, squinting against the light, the foliage evolving into fall fully now, beamed at the warmth of the ochre, butterscotch, and chartreuse leaves sparkling under cover of morning dew.

  
  


“I’ve missed this, this beauty, and the infatuation I have with autumn, for it’s when I feel most alive,” Mary chuckled to herself. “How ironic.”

  
  


Simmering questions hovered in Zelda’s overstimulated mind, but she felt oddly guilty for the thought of pestering Mary with inquiries, so she settled on gently taking her hand, stroking the back with her thumb, smiling as she heard Mary sigh and relax into her side.

  
  


Bringing her arms around Zelda’s waist, Mary soaked in her warmth, until her head began drooping, so the redhead transported them to Mary’s house, finding themselves atop the bed, and she laid Mary down, covering her with a blanket.

  
  


“Stay…” Mary’s small voice pleaded, and Zelda couldn’t deny her anything.

  
  


“Of course, darling, whatever you need.” She ran a hand through Mary’s tangled hair, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead.

  
  


Zelda undressed, for she still wore her clothing from the coven gathering, and curled up behind her, their bodies intertwined, and Mary’s even breathing soon eased her to sleep.

  
  


When she awoke a few hours later, it was with a sense of déjà vu, as Mary had taken her hand in her sleep, holding it pressed to her breasts, her raven curls glistening in the early afternoon sun. 

  
  


Gently easing her fingers loose from Mary’s grip, Zelda slid from the bed, assuming Mary might sleep for hours more. _Exactly how long does one sleep after being resurrected?_ Chuckling to herself, the true reality of the situation seemed overwhelming, but, for once in her life, it was a most pleasantly formidable undertaking.

  
  


But try as she might, she found she was unable to leave Mary’s side, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching the woman as she deeply slept. Dark circles ringed her eyes, a days old bruise marred her smooth skin, its yellowing painting her cheek like a fading daffodil, and an injury to her mouth reddened her normally rosy lips. To Zelda it appeared Mary had put up quite a fight to return to the land of living. To return to her.

  
  


Her eyelashes fluttering, Mary’s sky blue eyes slowly opened, at first blinking, seeming to attempt to retain the sense that what appeared before her was real, then settling her gaze on Zelda, she couldn’t stop the tears as they flowed.

  
  


“I didn’t dream it, you’re here, with me, in my home, this is real,” she sobbed into Zelda’s shoulder, the two holding each other as the storm of Mary’s emotional release passed.

  
  


“Let me look at your face, into your eyes, for I’ve missed you more than I can say,” Zelda traced her fingers gently over Mary’s angular face, Mary leaning into her touch, wincing slightly when Zelda accidentally brushed over her discolored cheek.

  
  


“I must look a sight,” Mary looked away from Zelda’s admiring gaze, and Zelda shook her head.

  
  


“You’re indeed a sight, dearest one, and a sight I’ll never tire of.”

  
  


A blush rose to cover Mary’s cheeks at that, Zelda’s loving attention and adoration washing over her.

  
  


She stood, still much like a baby deer, wobbly and unsure, and walked slowly towards the bathroom, the robe she wore dropping behind her, and reached back for Zelda, extending her hand, and the redhead rose to take it.

  
  


Zelda turned on the taps, adjusting them as the water heated, adding some soothing oils and bubbles to Mary’s earnest smile, and she continued to hold Mary’s hand as she stepped in, sinking into the steaming pool, sighing softly as the water calmed her aching body. When Mary reached for the shampoo, Zelda took it from her, gently pouring water over her head, then lathering the dark coils, lightly scrubbing her scalp, and Mary moaned from pure pleasure.

  
  


Combing through the curls, Zelda added a rinse, then, wanting to pamper Mary more, she peeled off the remainder of her clothes, sliding behind her, rewarming the water with a quickly whispered spell.

  
  


“You’re spoiling me, darling, for I could just used to this,” Mary sighed, Zelda gently washing her arms, running her fingers over the soft skin, her hands drifting down Mary’s sides, light touches everywhere that soon had Mary writhing, her head on Zelda’s shoulder. 

  
  


Leaning back, Zelda ran her tongue over the shell of Mary’s ear, whispering as she continued teasing, her fingers no more than butterfly wings, “Is this too much? We can wait if you’re not feeling up to -”

  
  


Cutting her off, Mary turned her head, capturing Zelda’s lips with her own, softly at first, then the redhead ran a finger over the painful cut, restoring the skin to its smooth perfection.

  
  


Kissing her with a fervor now, and Zelda’s fingers resumed their exploration, grazing the underside of Mary’s breasts, skating around the sensitive sides the way she knew Mary liked, and the woman moaned her pleasure, her hips canting against Zelda. 

  
  


Mary gripped the sides of the tub as the redhead swirled her fingers around her nipples, lightly scraping her nails in circles, she finally squeezed them both between her thumb and forefinger, twisting just enough to cause Mary to cry out.

  
  


“Zelda….I need you, touch me,” Mary took Zelda’s hand in hers, pressing it between her legs, a whine escaping her, a foreign sound that Zelda had feared she’d never hear again, and she sobbed with relief, with a sense of peace and bliss.

  
  


“You are the most beautiful creature, Mary,” Zelda breathed into her ear, taking Mary higher and higher, Zelda’s fingers worked gentle circles, until Mary pressed them closer, taking her pleasure, and the redhead kissed and sucked on Mary’s neck, finding the soft skin behind her ear, giving it equal attention.

  
  


When Mary felt she could take no more, the waves of rapture almost too much, the peak she sought found her, and Zelda stayed with her, taking her through the receding tremors, her body slowly returning to Earth.

“Dearest, I…”Mary began, taking Zelda’s face in her hands, kissing her with all the passion she felt. “Zelda, I love you. Every part of you, all there is, all the parts you have yet to show me, and even more than that.”

  
  


Zelda squeezed her eyes shut at that, weeping freely, and Mary turned in her arms, catching every teardrop with her thumbs and lips, lavishing love on her.

  
  


“My dear Zelda, always so stalwart and strong, so brave and fearless, taking on the weight of the world, but not here, not with me,” Mary held the witch to her body, her hands caressing and comforting until Zelda leaned back, taking Mary’s face in her hands, her thumb rubbing the bruised cheekbone, fading the mark into memory.

  
  


“How I’ve missed you, Mary, so very much. Missed your tenderness, your counsel, your forbearance as no one else has for me, and your love, that most of all. And I love you, as much as I can possibly do so, without hesitation or fear.”

  
  


With this declaration, Mary’s heart stuttered, for an unexpected confession of love from Zelda took her by surprise. Perhaps it was the intimacy, the moment of bliss they had only just shared, most likely it was their out of the blue reunion, the resurgence of feelings now Zelda was unable to contain. Mary thought to investigate this change in the woman she loved further, when they were clothed and well rested.

  
  


As she held Mary’s face between her palms, her fingers entwining the soft curls on either side of that dear face, Zelda was unable to hold back the very words that brought guilt on her heart and soul when grieving Mary’s death. Berating herself for wasting time then, not speaking her feelings into words, not telling the woman that she was written on her heart now, Zelda let them spill out as freely as the tears she could not seem to withhold. She had seen the moment of shock as it passed over Mary’s features, the questions behind her eyes, before the meaning and weight of those words registered in both of their minds.

  
  


Nothing but love could surround them now, for Mary brought with her the bright energy of a resurrected soul and body, and Zelda the rejuvenated calm of a newly reflective heart and mind. Questions and explanations could wait.

  
  


Mary took Zelda’s hand, and the redhead could not resist her besotted gaze, passion and lust filling her eyes.

  
  


Kissing her with all the locked away fervor she felt, Mary backed Zelda into the bed, her knees meeting the edge, then gently laid her back, pausing above her lover to stare into her amorous emerald eyes, now filled with love, with fondness, with everything she feared sharing in the past.

  
  


“Such a glorious beauty you are, my Zelda,” Mary leaned down to kiss her, showering her with all the tenderness Zelda remembered, seeking all the hidden places on her body, opening her like a flower’s first bloom, for it all felt new and wondrous.

  
  


Reaching for her fingers, Mary linked their hands together, moving lower, her mouth seeking out and causing gasps, moans, and cries, continually pouring from Zelda. 

  
  


And when her journeying lips finally reached where Zelda needed her most, Zelda’s legs parted easily, inviting Mary to lavish her, and she could not resist, fingers scouting the way, tracing patterns on soft inner thighs, dancing through silky wetness, her teeth nipping lightly along the path her fingers had set, chasing the edge between pain and pleasure as she knew the redhead craved, reaching her center, Zelda’s breath held expectantly as Mary’s tongue and lips worshipped Zelda, bringing her to ecstasy in moments.

  
  


Pulling a blanket over the two of them, Mary settled in, facing Zelda, unable to stop stroking her hair as her breathing returned to normal. 

  
  


“Promise me,” Mary whispered.

  
  


“Promise you what, darling?”

  
  


“That it will always be like this, the way we are now, this love, this ease, this passion.”

  
  


“With everything in me, I promise you that.”

  
  


Mary fought off the sleep gradually overtaking her, every blink growing longer than the last, Zelda finding herself stroking through the wild natural curly locks as they cascaded down her back. Settling her head on Zelda’s chest, Mary sighed, her gentle breaths the only sound in the room.

  
  


“It can always be this way, my love, and now that I am High Priestess we will find a way to make this possible, together.” Zelda murmured, her eyes closing, peace enveloping her.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Zelda, my love, you act as if loving you was a prescription for poison, and nothing could be further from the truth. It wasn’t completely your decision for the two of us to become involved, and I would do it again in a minute.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about some angst for our reunited sweethearts?

Warm orange rays slanted through the kitchen window, sunset upon them as they awoke again in each other’s arms, Zelda laying a gentle kiss on the freckles that dotted Mary’s face, neck, and chest, her touch effervescent, light, until Mary slid down to taste her lips.

  
  


They drew apart for enough time to retrieve something to wear, Zelda crossing the hall, returning from the spare bedroom with a silky gown, she then covered her chilled body, the night air beginning to push aside the warmth of the day.

  
  


Mary regarded Zelda strangely as she returned to the bedroom, tugging open a drawer in her bureau, finding that it contained lingerie she didn’t remember owning.

  
  


“I don’t recall purchasing this. Did you….?” Mary held up a forest green shift, pulling it over her head.

  
  


“No, that wasn’t me,” Zelda shifted from one foot to another. “Didn’t you say you were famished?”

  
  


Mary nodded, but walked into the spare bedroom instead of following Zelda into the kitchen.

  
  


She emerged again after a moment, just in time to observe Zelda taking out some plates, then turning to inquire what she would like.

  
  


“I never kept those there,” she indicated the plates in confusion. “And have you been staying here? Not that I mind at all, because my house is yours, but my spare room is overflowing with your things, and I suppose I’m a bit out of the loop.”

  
  


Taking her hands, Zelda led Mary to the table, and sitting down opposite her, she gently caressed her cheek, and Mary leaned back, a small smile gracing her lips.

  
  


“We have many things to talk about, but first let me make you something to eat.”

  
  


“I can help you, after all, I know you despise cooking. How about I chop the vegetables? You can prepare anything you like.”

  
  


They settled on a salad, and Mary began tearing lettuce into a large bowl.

  
  


“How long have you been staying here? It looked like you have most of your wardrobe and shoes stored in that tiny closet, not to mention scads of your books all over the room.”

  
  


“I’ve been here ever since you…” Zelda found herself quite unable to voice when she’d moved into Mary’s cottage, even after all the time that had passed, even with Mary standing before her again.

  
  


“Since I died?” Mary filled in the blank for her, looking at Zelda with compassion, the redhead meeting her gaze with a hazy sheen of tears blurring her vision, nodding quickly, then wiping her eyes as she finished blending the salad dressing.

  
  


Mary moved on to chopping the tomatoes, perfectly slicing them into halves, then fourths, finally dicing the remains, and Zelda watched her diligently completing the task, her strong hands, unpainted nails, finely shaped fingers fascinating Zelda.

  
  


She could not look away from Mary, fearing she’d miss something, a movement, a glance, a hidden smile behind her hand, for these mundane things were life itself now.

  
  


“I couldn’t stay home, not when I, after I, and Hilda was,” Finally responding, Zelda let out a huff, inwardly berating herself, the words a jumble as her thoughts tumbled over each other. She felt Mary’s arms wrap around her from behind, standing on tiptoes, her head on Zelda’s shoulder.

  
  


“Take your time, love, I’m right here.”

  
  


Clearing her throat, Zelda laid her hands atop Mary’s, then turned around in her grasp and kissed her softly, and Mary went back to her work, making neat piles of cucumbers Zelda then added to the large bowl with the dressing. She mixed it all, then served it on the plates she’d laid out.

  
  


“I left my house because Hilda found me hurting myself several times, the situation with her became untenable, and I left before I completely ruined our relationship. She’s since forgiven me, but I can’t find it in myself to go back, not permanently. Going in the basement, I can barely look at the table without seeing you there.”

  
  


Mary didn’t discount the emotional toll her death must have taken on Zelda, wiping her own eyes at Zelda’s telling of self-harm, deciding to put a pin in that to return to later. Rubbing her hand up and down Zelda’s back, she noticed how she winced at the gentle brush of fingers on her shoulder blades.

  
  


“I’d wondered about that. So you took care of all those arrangements?”

  
  


The two gathered the plates and a bottle of wine, choosing to sit by the fire as the night grew more chilly.

  
  


“Of course I did, I would never have allowed anyone else to touch you, and it gave me a chance to say my goodbye, my way. You wore my robe, I brushed your hair, I took care of you.” Her simple declaration belied the loving care that she had poured into those acts, how her heart had broken repeatedly, how the reminder of loss nearly had destroyed her.

  
  


Mary reached across the table, her hand covering Zelda’s, her own tears shining in the candlelight of the room.

  
  


“I’m somewhat ashamed now of my reaction, it’s not as if I’ve never experienced loss; why when my brother passed away I was devastated, but then we had Sabrina, I had a focus, a reason to go on. But when you,” Zelda sighed, taking a deep breath, willing herself to continue, the hand not in Mary’s sliding under the table, and she pressed her nails into her palm, but stopping herself, she instead reached for Mary’s remaining hand. “When faced with a world without you in it, I almost wished I’d not let your affections sway me so. If I’d never known you, Mary, your life would be safe, free of danger and harm.”

  
  


Leaning forward, giving Zelda’s hands a gentle squeeze, Mary shook her head. 

  
  


“Zelda, my love, you act as if loving you was a prescription for poison, and nothing could be further from the truth. It wasn’t completely your decision for the two of us to become involved, and I would do it again in a minute.”

  
  


Kneeling before Zelda, her knees pressing into the unforgiving wood floor, Mary brought a hand to her lips, kissing each fingertip gently, her eyes on Zelda’s face, struck by the level of emotion exposed there, the level of vulnerability she was allowing Mary to witness.

  
  


“My life would be a vast wasteland of self-hatred and regret without the love I feel for you, for if I had held myself back, stayed in that carefully crafted glass box I’d created for myself I would have died anyway. Your love constantly rejuvenates me. Whatever power or force of nature returned me to you, they have my eternal gratitude.”

  
  


They embraced, and Mary held on, relishing the simple feel of Zelda in her arms, the physical and emotional healing she hoped the woman experienced as she heard the redhead sigh as if in relief, her own hands buried in Mary’s hair.

  
  


Standing again, Mary returned to her seat, her body reminding her she needed physical nourishment as well as emotional.

  
  


They ate in silence, until Zelda glanced out the window, her memory drifting back to the moonflowers, their luminous prognostication of Mary’s return drifting through her mind.

  
  


“Did you happen to leave me a gift in your garden as well?”

  
  


Smiling genuinely, Mary turned toward her favorite part of the property, nodding in delight.

  
  


“Weren’t they beautiful? And they really shone brilliantly, didn’t they?”

  
  


“They did, darling,” Zelda also recalled the hope those simple flowers had implanted in her heart, giving her the strength she needed in that moment, carrying her, sustaining her.

  
  


Fingering the hem of the gown she wore, Mary sighed, hating that she must ask about the topic that lingered still between them, Zelda clearly avoiding it. The mood in the room shifted.

  
  


“It must have been lonely, being here, all by yourself. I suppose you took the time to read for a good bit of it, seeing as how you have an entire trunkful of books scattered about your room.” Mary looked down at her hands, pushing at the cuticles on her nails, a sign Zelda had picked up early on in knowing her. Mary knew more than she was letting on.

  
  


Not sure how Mary would react to the knowledge of Lilith living here, taking on her life, her face, her bed, Zelda felt the old fear of rejection rearing its ugly head. She stalled by putting away their dishes, straightening the kitchen, and she looked up to find Mary still sat by the fire, staring into it as if it held the answer to her questions.

  
  


Moving to the sofa, Zelda patted the seat beside her when Mary’s eyes met hers.

  
  


“I have more to share with you, come sit beside me,” Zelda beckoned to her, and Mary complied, looking a bit gun shy, her trepidation obvious.

  
  


“I wasn’t exactly alone here,” Zelda began, and Mary furrowed her brow, willing her mind to stay open, to hear the explanation she desired.

  
  


“So, did Sabrina stay with you, or perhaps your nephew?”

  
  


“No, no, there was a woman here. Well, not a woman in so many words, a deity, I’ve known her my entire life…”

  
  


Zelda’s ramblings drifted off, and, clenching her fists, she started again.

  
  


“As I told you, I wasn’t precisely myself after finding you in our basement, I drank much too much, anything to numb how overwrought I had become, and to keep everyone else at bay, for my family leaves me to my own devices when I’m in one of my moods, as they call them.”

  
  


They drew closer, Mary lying back, pulling Zelda down to lie on her chest.

  
  


“Only Hilda knew about me? Didn’t Sabrina mention anything?” Mary’s voice turned mournful at that, thinking no one had even deigned to acknowledge her death.

  
  


“Hilda knew, she was heartbroken, she grieved for you, and as for Sabrina, I’m getting to that.”

  
  


Mary nodded, indicating she wanted Zelda to continue.

  
  


“Well, Sabrina came home from school, it was the first school day after you weren’t with us anymore. She was prattling on about some assignment you’d given the class. Naturally, I assumed she’d meant one from the past, a project of some sort, but she went on to say she’d talked to you about it in class that day, and I knew something was very wrong.”

  
  


“Yes, and then?” Mary urged her forward, rubbing the redhead’s back as she continued, her modulating voice telling of the agony she felt.

  
  


“I made haste, driving here wildly, and my heart leapt within me as I saw lights on inside, and a woman looking eerily like you came to the window. I entered your house, unsure of what I would find, and there she sat, before the fire.”

  
  


“Who, Zelda? Who was she?” Not knowing what to make of this, a woman who looked similar to herself at school, teaching her classes, the children unperturbed and accepting of an entirely different look alike teacher.

  
  


“Her name was Lilith, she was Lucifer’s handmaiden, his servant, and she had run from him, for he had abused her violently, for years. And she took up residence in your home.”

  
  


Mary’s face was incredulous, for if anyone else had been telling this tale she might have thought them touched in the head, but from Zelda it seemed completely plausible, knowing that her family was part of a coven of Satan-worshipping witches.

  
  


“Let me see if I understand this. Lilith, and I’ve heard the name before mentioned as having to do with demons, she was in my house, pretending to be me, looking like me?”

  
  


Zelda nodded. “You see, Lucifer was the one who killed you, and she stayed behind to take care of your body, bringing it to me. He did not know she had taken that step, he had ordered her to stay behind and convince me to return to the Church of Night, to seduce me into returning.”

  
  


Zelda glanced toward Mary’s pensive face, as she had gone quiet.

  
  


“I’m upsetting you, this is too much, you’ve only just returned, today should have been for joyous celebration, for this wasn’t the time for truth telling.”

  
  


“We went far too long with not enough truth between us, Zelda,” Mary was shaking her head as she spoke. “There are things I never shared as well, but please continue, I’m listening and I want to understand.”

  
  


“I inserted myself here, with her; I felt I had nowhere else to go. And yes,” Zelda paused, laying her head down on Mary’s chest, turning away from her, Mary’s reaction too much for her to bear full on. “She took your form, only she contained a darkness, something in her almost cruel. Our first few days she took pleasure in tormenting me.”

  
  


Her hands sinking into Zelda’s hair, Mary stroked the tangled strands, combing through them, and the redhead felt confident enough to turn her eyes towards Mary’s face once again. But her face was set in stone.

  
  


“There was a woman here the night I, um, died.” The word seemed to escape Mary unwillingly now, her eyes staring off in the distance. “She met me on the road, only she was a young girl, nowhere near my age. She claimed to have been injured by the woods, and I thought, I wondered if your coven had…”

  
  


“No, I swear to you Mary, I knew nothing about this, I had no clue, or I would have come to you. I should have done so anyway after we argued, I picked up the phone so many times to call, to drive by, to visit you at school.”

  
  


Mary continued as if she had not heard Zelda, for the pieces were falling into place for her, the mystery settling itself and becoming clear.

  
  


“So I allowed her into my car, talked to her, told her I would take her to a doctor the next day to see about her wounds. Only when we arrived here, the house was ablaze in light, and she followed me inside, my curiosity getting the better of me, for I should have known better, all the lights being on like that.”

  
  


Zelda sensed Mary’s words beginning to ramble, so she wrapped her arms around the woman, feeling her begin to tremble as she spoke.

  
  


“There was a beast here, in my living room, just there,” Mary pointed towards the front window. “I didn’t see him as I walked inside, and then I felt his breath on my neck, but you know, Zelda, I wasn’t scared, I didn’t even think to fight. I looked toward the door, and she stood, watching, staring at him as he raised the knife to me, and she had no reaction. I tried to run then, the light of the fire shone on that blade and it caught my eye, but he grabbed me, and he dragged me outside. I focused on the moon, the stars, and I thought of you, how I’d never see you again, never tell you I loved you, never hold you again. That woman stood in the doorway, and she did nothing. Then everything went black.”

  
  


Pushing a now weeping Zelda off of her, Mary leapt to her feet, pacing, clearly highly distressed, and Zelda moved to take her in her arms, to comfort her, for this revelation was distressing to her as well.

  
  


“No,” Mary turned away from Zelda’s hands, shoving them away. “She watched me die, and you _lived_ with her, why, Zelda, why?”

  
  


Mary looked at her with a fury Zelda hadn’t known she possessed. “Am I so easily replaced?”

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That’s all true, you’re not wrong. I should have been more willing to share, but what would have been your reaction? You left when the truth was revealed, you left me,” Her head in her hands, Zelda jolted when Mary’s now warm hand covered her bare shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is much much talking and little action, but I felt like Mary needed to get caught up.

_Slamming the massive red door, window pane rattling even as she stood staring through it, vacillating at the idea of entering again, making her way back up those stairs, past the oddly mismatched shoes that acted as a trophy case for the misfortunately hexed, past the roots growing freely along the walls, back to that bedroom she had only just exited moments before, back to the woman she now called her lover, if only to herself._

  
  


_**Why couldn’t she just talk to me?** Mary had known her thoughts were moot, for Zelda never shared ‘til she was fully ready, but it had vexed her just the same, for she had given so freely, with abandon, trusting until given a reason not to do so._

  
  


_So she had made her way home, stewing in her anger and hurt, unable to sleep, then taking it out on her students the following day as their incessant chatter seemed to rub her like sandpaper against soft wood, leaving school as quickly as she could manage._

  
  


_And that night had passed without a phone call, in silence, her own thoughts rattling around in her mind, familiar voices saying **See, none of it was real. She never cared for you, otherwise she wouldn’t have so easily let you run away.**_

  
  


_Another sleepless night, another day spent on edge, and it was then Mary had resolved to do something about this growing chasm between her and Zelda; she had driven towards the massive black structure on the outskirts of town, bypassing her own home, almost arriving, but had been met on the road by the young girl who had led her to her doom._

  
  


Mary was reminiscing now, thinking back to that fateful night. Having backed away from Zelda, pushing away her arms as the woman tried in vain to reach out to her, she was once again running, headed heaven knows where, following some beaten path through the woods, the moon illuminating the trees that surrounded her, its brilliance giving the illusion of daylight.

  
  


“Mary!” She heard that euphonious voice once again, as she had heard it just that morning, only this time instead of being tinged in tears of joy, it was saturated with regret, with pain, with sorrow. 

  
  


Outside in only her silken shift, having foregone shoes or any sort of covering, she began to shiver almost immediately, wrapping her arms around her body, but her ire drove her forward until she reached the spot, the smooth rocks, the stream, the now open grave reminding her of how close she had come to losing it all, losing her life, losing any semblance of the dreams she’d always fantasized over, losing Zelda.

  
  


Perching on the cold, hard surface, she drew her legs to her body, hugging them closely, the slight increase in temperature that gave a clarity to the previous ongoing conversation taking place in her home. 

  
  


_Zelda had taken up with another woman, another woman who looked just like me, only….._

  
  


Having opened her closet in search of a robe earlier, Mary had seen the new wardrobe of clothes, and she supposed Lilith to be proud of this body that Mary herself had always tried to cover, to hide. The choice of fabrics, the silhouette of each dress, cut and made to accentuate each feature, the tight, restricting waistlines, the deep darts at the breasts, even a dress that featured a cut out that would allow anyone to gape at the cleavage she found appalling. 

  
  


_Is this the woman Zelda has always wanted me to be, bold, brazen, to the point of being garish and prideful, allowing my body to be put on display for all to see?_

  
  


Approaching silently now, Zelda laid a blanket down next to Mary, the silky gown she wore catching the bright moonlight, her face closed, eyes blinking furiously as she sat, and it was then Mary noticed she was shoeless, that she had run out the door only after retrieving the blanket, not thinking of her own comfort.

  
  


Taking the soft flannel, Mary unfolded it, letting the edges drape down almost to her feet, glancing at the now trembling redhead who kept her distance. Pulling the covering so she was only occupying half, she held it open, an invitation to Zelda, who hesitated only a moment before sitting closely, taking the other half, but keeping some space between the two.

  
  


“You should have told me that night, you should have explained that my death could be a punishment meant only for you, but, in your defense, I ran away then too.” Mary turned her face to Zelda’s, their eyes meeting, fixing the other in an honest showdown. “And you didn’t come for me.”

“That’s all true, you’re not wrong. I should have been more willing to share, but what would have been your reaction? You left when the truth was revealed, you left me,” Her head in her hands, Zelda jolted when Mary’s now warm hand covered her bare shoulder.

  
  


“I was terrified, the thought of this newfound freedom being cut short overwhelmed me, thinking I had it all, everything I’d ever desired, only to have it endangered,” Tilting her chin towards the moon, Zelda was entranced at how it glowed in her luminous eyes. “I only made it to the front door before I thought to turn back, looking for you to descend those stairs, to chase me down.”

  
  


Zelda laughed bitterly at that, “Aren’t we a pair? Both of us so stubborn, so completely pig headed sometimes.”

  
  


Mary opened her arms then, Zelda sliding into them like coming home.

  
  


She murmured into Mary’s hair, “And the answer is no.”

  
  


“What, dearest?” Mary asked, her voice a near purr.

  
  


“Your question, could I easily replace you, the answer is emphatically no, never, nor would I want to.”

  
  


“I spoke that in anger, a silly, stupid gut reaction. Her clothes in my closet, the echo of her in my house, I suppose it seemed she still existed for you everywhere as well. But I know better than that.”

  
  


“How can I help you understand, Mary? Shall we burn what remains of Lilith, will that convince you of my love, my fidelity?”

  
  


Mary shook her head, caressing Zelda’s cheek as the redhead looked into her eyes as if trying to determine the veracity of her admittance.

  
  


“Do you...did you...is that how you’d prefer me to dress?” Mary finally spoke the truth, and Zelda could feel the tension in her, trembling as she awaited Zelda’s answer. The redhead could sense this was a much larger question than a matter of wardrobe, for Mary tended to never believe she was enough for Zelda, that she preferred someone more bold, more brash, more outwardly sexual.

  
  


She took Mary’s hopeful face in her hands, kissing her gently to begin with, all the love and desire pouring forth in this connection, and she moaned when Mary deepened the kiss, turning her head to secure herself, the brunette’s hand stroking her neck, her fingers stirring the need that rapidly grew inside the two.

  
  


Zelda’s hands drifted lower, down the soft skin of Mary’s tensed neck, her writhing shoulders, tracing soft patterns down her sides, the indentions of each rib receiving her ministrations, Mary whimpering as she reached her silk-covered breasts, cupping and stroking them through the cloth. 

And Mary gave as good as she received, one hand sliding into Zelda’s ocherous locks, tugging slightly as she bit down on the redhead’s lower lip, greeting her tongue with her own, swallowing the gasp that escaped Zelda. Her other hand skimmed the satin slope of Zelda’s body until she reached her hip, gripping it closely as their bodies moved against each other.

  
  


Eventually pulling away to rest their foreheads together, Zelda panted, evidence of the desire she incessantly felt for Mary written on her every feature.

  
  


“Darling,” Zelda breathed once she was able to speak. “I don’t care what you wear as long as you allow me to see you like this, for you are all I want and no frock, no lingerie, nothing could make me want you more.”

  
  
  


Wrapping the light blanket around the two of them, Mary helped Zelda up, clinging still to each other as the redhead transported them back to the cottage.

  
  


Leaving Zelda curled up on the couch under the blanket, Mary prepared some tea, needing some space to gather her courage, for she meant to hear of Lilith now, and although she felt assured of Zelda’s affection, of her devotion, she knew the tale would be painful; Zelda had suffered at her death, and Mary now realized she had overlooked the lasting scars she possessed, both physical and emotional, but now she desired to make that right.

  
  


They sipped their tea, unable to bear any sort of physical separation now, a hand to a cheek, a finger sliding a lock of hair behind an ear, each bringing the other comfort in a simple series of touches.

  
  


Placing their now drained cups on the table before them, Zelda lay her head in Mary’s lap, taking her hand, holding it to her chest as she turned to lie on her back. Mary stroked her hair, fanning it out on the cushion behind her, its stark color against the dark sofa holding her attention as Zelda began to speak.

  
  


“I want to tell you of Lilith, for we are in her debt, truly, but I suppose you should hear it all, though I don’t quite know where to start.”

  
  


“Well, that night I ran out, that night I left, start there. To my eyes, it began to unravel then, all the secrets became too much.”

  
  


Zelda pursed her lips, her hand secure in Mary’s nurturing comfort.

  
  


“I suppose I owe you more than that, for you’ve shared a portion of your life with me, and I must admit something to you.”

  
  


Mary nodded. “Anything you utter is safe with me.”

  
  


“The first few nights were difficult here, your presence evident all around, and I found some albums in your spare bedroom, full of snippets, remnants of your life. I almost felt you there, describing each photograph to me in your animated way,” They both smiled at that, Mary rolling her eyes. “You were such a sweet, delightful child, so full of life. And then things seemed to change, your demeanor in each picture, the unforgiving way your mother glanced at you; I saw you whittle away as if I were present. So, I’m sorry to be so forward, nosy, but I want to be honest here now.”

  
  


Taking a deep breath, Mary exhaled in a sigh. 

  
  


“It was difficult, yes, and I’ve only learned to accept myself beyond my oppressive religious beliefs recently, as you know, but, to be honest with you as well, I feel what happened to me as just that, a past event that shaped me, definitely, but didn’t define me.”

  
  


“One must take the past and mold it into a life that only we control, I agree, and that is a relatively new concept for me, for you see, our beliefs, our coven, I mean, are strict, controlling and quite patriarchal.”

  
  


“Just as I was taught that believing, promising my life to serve my god would earn me eternal life in the hereafter, that he held the keys to that gift, and there would be no other way to earn it.”

  
  


“Yes, many parallels exist between our realms. But, my mother taught us, Hilda and I, of Lilith, perhaps to spite our father, for once he caught her he hexed her mind with a spell she never quite recovered from, and she spent the rest of her days locked in her own thoughts, a powerless prisoner.” Zelda spoke of her mother in a detached tone, as if she were sharing a weather report, and Mary ached with the pain it must have brought into her life as a child.

  
  


“But Lilith, she was a powerful being, no? She was cursed for not returning to the Garden after refusing to be subservient to Adam?” Mary recalled reading about her in Jewish mythology.

  
  


“She studied the elemental magicks of earth, wandering in the wilderness, a survivalist, until she met Lucifer. His charms were quite difficult to refuse, and she found herself trapped, his servant, his slave, really. Quite a powerful being in her own right, but according to church leadership, she bowed the knee to Lucifer, demeaning herself to him, that becoming the model of subservience witches were meant to follow, to emulate. Witches, if you’d listen to the council of our faith, the anti-pope, are only servants to the warlocks around them, certainly not to assert their own will, and definitely not to be involved in the mortal world.”

  
  


Holding Mary’s hand to herself, a lifeline, she reached to caress the angular vision of Mary’s face, still somewhat amazed at their togetherness, the closeness she never thought she would experience again.

  
  


“So, Mary,” Zelda began again as she glanced upward, their eyes meeting in understanding. “I had much to fear as far as we were concerned. We have laws, rigid rules that govern how we live our lives after we sign our names in his book. As children we were taught that our magical gifts flowed from him to us, he being the channel of this infernal power.”

  
  


“Ah, therefore if you turned against him, the source of your powers would be cut off. But I’ve just experienced your power, and I can certainly tell by your tone that you’ve moved forward in your faith, you’ve moved on to something else.”

  
  


Mary’s intelligence and understanding, her perceptiveness, would never cease to amaze Zelda.

  
  


“Why, yes I have,” She brought Mary’s hand to her lips. “And it was you who inspired that shift.”

  
  


A look of shock crossed her features, and she brought her other hand to her chest in mock surprise simultaneously.

  
  


“Me? Just a mere mortal, influential enough to sway a powerful witch such as yourself?” 

  
  


They shared a laugh at that, Zelda rolling her eyes at Mary’s sweet-tempered way of taking the serious tone down, of bringing Zelda back to reality. She knew she would be relying on that ability more and more in the future as she moved into her role as High Priestess.

  
  


“What did I say to create in you such a change?” Mary truly was incredulous.

  
  


Zelda hummed a laugh at the memory of Mary’s angry face that evening.

  
  


“You told me, quite angrily I might add, that I had expectations for you that I would never hold myself to, and that the gods that held us in their sway only controlled us if we allowed it. And these simple words set me, as well as Lilith, quite literally free.”

  
  


“I never thought too deeply about that, it seemed natural to me. If I didn’t put my faith in something, did it not cease to exist for me? Well, perhaps exist is the wrong word, but its influence becomes naught, inconsequential.”

  
  


“Exactly, and it was that sentiment I expressed to him when he came to me, his hand to my throat, willing me dead.”

  
  


Mary’s eyes welled at that, “Oh Zelda, you confronted him?” She pulled Zelda closer, as much as a soothing motion for the redhead as herself.

  
  


“I did, darling, and it seemed to deflate him in that moment. But I feel he will return, he told me as much before he left.”

  
  


“I’m so proud of you, I know you’ve been terrified for so very long, you’ve held all that in you, and now….” The brunette beamed, the reality of both of them experiencing the freedom to do and live as they pleased hitting her.

  
  


“Now, well, that’s another bit of news. Before he entered, interrupting a coven gathering, I had been speaking to the group about my beliefs, my vision for our church, and Mary,” Zelda held her hands to her face, the newness of this decision still not worn off. “They elected me High Priestess.”

  
  


“What? Oh my,” Mary’s joyous laughter rang out, and she leaned down to kiss Zelda in congratulations. “But wait, if you’re High Priestess, was the current High Priest discharged?”

  
  


Zelda sat up, sliding to the other end of the sofa, putting some distance between them, as if she wished not to implicate Mary in her crimes.

  
  


“Lilith and I discovered there were others who were party to your death, love. And we decided it would be in everyone’s best interest if they were,” She paused, having committed this act only days before and not truly having had time to process it. “Dead.”

  
  


Her eyes wide, Mary pulled the blanket around her, a chill suddenly in the air.

  
  


“What are you saying? You killed someone?” The fear in her voice also ran parallel to the awe and wonder Zelda thought she perceived.

  
  


“Lilith and I thought it best if these two men paid for their misdeeds with a sort of finality, yes. They have heinously treated women for decades, one for centuries, and it was the crime of spying on us, on you and I that broke the last thread in the need for their existence. She and I did the job together.”

  
  


“Aren’t you going to tell me who they are? How did you do it? I feel as if I’m reading a murder mystery now and the killer is about to be revealed.” Mary sat up in expectation, the blanket pulled to her chin, the picture of innocence and mischievousness. 

  
  


Pulling her end of the blanket up to her waist, Zelda stretched out her legs next to Mary, relieved at the brunette’s reception of her tale.

  
  


“Well, you know one of them, he never let you be, constantly at your side, watching your every move,”

  
  


“You killed Principal Hawthorne!” Her voice caught in her throat, she swallowed back her shock, but Mary’s eyes gave away the thrill she felt.

  
  


“He spied on us, the Dark Lord promised him you, meaning Lilith, as his submissive bride, should his plan to destroy you and I succeed.” Zelda spoke firmly, without question. “He had to go, so I wore my best Ms. Wardwell glamour, that dress with the window cut out in front, and voila, he allowed me into his house. I shot him, the underhanded bastard.”

  
  


Mary was nodding throughout the telling, clearly proud of Zelda.

  
  


“And the second man? Who was he?”

  
  


“That one proved too difficult for me, leaving Lilith and I to exchange roles,” Zelda gesticulated as she explained.

  
  


“A _Strangers on a Train_ scenario then?” Mary added.

  
  


Zelda smiled at that. “Quite so, for she wore a glamour of me, which was quite unnerving, observing oneself doing something you’ve long wanted to do. I suppose in the end it was fulfilling. He was a childhood peer, a long ago beau, and our former High Priest. Lilith took great joy in taking him down.”

  
  


“She sounds like quite a woman, this Lilith,” Mary’s eyes were downcast as she spoke, her insecurities making themselves known again.

  
  


“Yes, yes she was. And she helped me in ways I can never thank her for, things I wish I would have shared with you, but I feared your reaction so greatly. I do believe we helped each other truthfully.”

  
  


“You could allow me to know them now, Zelda, for I promise you with all my heart, all my being, I want to know.”

  
  


Zelda moved to lay in Mary’s lap again, her gentle hands carding through the red strands of hair, lulling her into a sense of peace, security, safety.

  
  


She then shifted in Mary’s lap, her back towards Mary now, and she allowed the blanket to fall away. Pulling her hair over her shoulder, Zelda’s gown exposed her bare back to Mary’s eyes, her questing fingertips already stroking the soft skin.

  
  


Her voice low, almost causing Mary to lean forward to hear, Zelda sounded far away, a voice coming from across a distant sea.

  
  


“The Dark Lord, I was told, held his most devoted witches to a higher calling, to penance, a cleansing of the soul and body. And I…” She allowed the glamour she wore to cover her many flagellation scars to fall away.

  
  


For a long moment she only heard her own breathing, the pounding of her heart in her ears, but as her heart slowed she realized Mary was speaking, softly whispering, and she turned her head, glancing over her shoulder at the woman behind her.

  
  


Mary looked on her, the scars to Zelda’s fearful countenance, as something precious, with warmth, acceptance, and love.

  
  


Her words finally registered as Zelda relaxed.

  
  


“You are loved, you are cherished, every part of you,” And Mary’s fingertips continued their journey, stroking over each raised mark, each sensitive, rosy pink discoloration.

  
  


Zelda took her hand, bringing each fingertip to her lips, holding them to her as her eyes closed briefly, the relief of finally being able to share her burden with someone who cared for her immensely powerful. 

  
  


A sound from the kitchen brought them both out of their reverie, and they turned to see Hilda approaching them, tiptoeing and glancing all around.

  
  


“There you are. I’m so sorry, Zelds, but we have a problem.” She suddenly realized Zelda wasn’t alone. “Lilith?” Her puzzled face couldn’t seem to register who she was now gawking at.

  
  


Mary shook her head. “No, no, it’s actually me.” She reached for her glasses, and, placing them on, Hilda’s confusion turned to wide-eyed shock.

  
  


“It seems I’m a bit out of sorts here, not knowing what’s what,” She finally remembered what she had come for, and turned back to her sister.

  
  


“What is it, Hilda?” Zelda barely kept the irritation from her voice.

  
  


“It seems that Shirley and her merry band of supporters have demanded a meeting with you, they’re at the Academy now, in your office, holding a sort of sit in ‘til you arrive,” Her eyes kept darting back and forth between Zelda and Mary. “I’m sorry, it’s just the last time I saw you, Mar-”

  
  


Zelda cut her off, laying a kiss to Mary’s cheek, a whispered promise to return as quickly as possible, and she waved her hand, now fully dressed and prepared to go with Hilda.

  
  


“I could go with you,” Mary’s small voice called to her, and she turned, her expression belying the pain she felt at leaving Mary behind.

  
  


“I will introduce you to the coven, but not like this, in the right way, the way you deserve. Sleep, Mary, and I’ll be here when you awaken.”

  
  


Pivoting again, Zelda met Hilda’s eyes, her sister smiling, not in a pitying, patronizing way, but showing she understood Zelda’s depth of feeling for the woman.

  
  


They teleported away, leaving Mary sitting alone to process everything she’d learned, and the resulting feelings she now had.

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her grip tightening around the quill, she felt it snap in half, ink spraying across the parchment, her hands. The document she now held, proclaiming that they were to be formally known as the Church of Liberté now was smeared and spotted with the pigment, unrecognizable.

Reaching the Academy, observing Shirley Jackson as she strutted around like a rooster with her flock of worshipping hens, Zelda quickly surmised she would have to win her over before any type of agreement would be reached.

  
  


“Sister Jackson,” she intoned as she swept through the doors of her new office, her eyes darting to the spot where not days before she watched Faustus bleed out. “I’m so glad you decided to meet with me like this. After all, if we’re to move forward, become the progressive Church I know you and your followers desire, we must learn to cooperate, to compromise perhaps.”

  
  


Seating herself behind the large, ebony lacquered desk, the enormous leather chair almost swallowing her whole, she folded her hands in front of her, a gesture she hoped would give the group a sense of “yes, you’ve had your fun, now you’ll find out who’s really in charge here.”

  
  


And Shirley bought it all, hook, line and sinker. A bit of praise, a few reminders of their glory days at the Academy, and then, snap, Zelda reeled her in.

  
  


“So, let’s assure ourselves of one thing, school will commence here, in just a few hours, I might add, and there will only be one person in this office at that time,” She paused for effect, her eyes panning around, allowing everyone to see the ire, the irritation she felt cleanly displayed in her jade glance. “And that person is me, as the Directrix of this institution.”

  
  


In the end, it seemed they only wanted reassurance that they would not be forced to lose their faith, for they were still firmly in Lucifer’s corner, a fact not lost on Zelda. And she, albeit grudgingly, gave them what they desired, reminders that she meant what she said about having the ability to choose who or what to give their allegiances to, but their last loyalty would still be to their Church, the group, the coven.

  
  


After the rebels had all transported away, she turned to Hilda who had ensconced herself in the corner. A look of admiration firmly planted on her cherubic features, she was beaming at her older sister.

  
  


“Zelds, you were marvelous! The way you buttered them up, and then yanked the rug out from under them, it was masterful!”

  
  


Secretly thrilled Hilda was so impressed, Zelda brushed it off.

  
  


“All in a day’s work, dear sister. They got what they wanted, a little pat on the back, a guarantee that they could keep their misogynistic, prideful broken angel upon the throne of their hearts, and, I got my promise that they would keep this Academy running, with me at the helm, of course.”

  
  


Hilda transported away first, vowing to return, to help organize, to guide any students, or Directrix, should they need a shoulder to lean on during this transition.

  
  


Before leaving, Zelda glanced about at what was now her new domain. _Definitely going to need to redecorate,_ she sighed, but she was more than ready to return to her home, to Mary.

  
  


The house was dark when she appeared in the living room, the fire burned down to embers, the clock on the mantel showing it to be after three in the morning.

  
  


Entering the bedroom, seeing Mary sleeping peacefully on her side, her pale face catching the light from the slightly parted curtains, her hair as black as the night itself fanned out on the pillow, Zelda’s heart caught at the thought of how quickly this had been taken from her, and how very grateful she felt now. She sent a prayer of thanks to Lilith yet again, wondering briefly what the demoness had gotten herself up to, where she was, and if she had found the peace she sought.

  
  


Undressing, she laid her clothes on the unused bed across the hall, returning to Mary’s side silently so as not to wake her. Sliding between the sheets, she couldn’t refrain from gathering the woman into her arms, holding her closely, and she felt Mary stir, stretching before shifting to face Zelda, her sleepy eyes alight with adoration.

  
  


“How was your meeting?” she asked, her voice still thick with slumber, wrapping her arms around Zelda’s neck, tangling her hands in her hair, pulling her face down for a kiss.

  
  


“It was fine, my darling, I believe I was able to convince them I mean them no harm as their new High Priestess, and perhaps even show that I want better for all of us. Time will tell, I suppose.” Zelda shrugged her shoulders at that, and shivered as Mary continued to scratch lightly at her scalp.

  
  


Sliding her hands down, Mary sensed the tension in her neck, the muscles twitching as she softly rubbed them, moving the straps of her gown aside.

  
  


“You’re so very tense, love. Can I, would you let me….” Mary desperately wanted to make Zelda feel good, to relax, but she wasn’t sure how to ask. Zelda sat up only to pull the gown over her head, lying back down on her stomach, resting her face on her arms, and Mary rose to straddle Zelda from behind. Soon sighing in pleasure as Mary ran her hands down the expanse of her back, making her way back to the source of tension, Zelda relaxed completely, her troubles at the Academy soon forgotten.

  
  


Her hands were slightly rough, somewhat like sandpaper against her tender neck, but it was the very thing Zelda needed, the stress seeping away as Mary found knot after knot in her tight muscles and applied just enough pressure to ease her pain. The feel of Mary’s skin against hers, the slide of her satin pajamas against her backside had her warm in more than one way, but she was exhausted, and Mary’s movements grew slower. She reached back, Mary placing her hand into the offered one, and Zelda brought her down to meet her as she turned to the side. 

  
  


They lay quietly, only the sound of their breathing between them, each staring into the eyes of the other. 

  
  


Zelda, her voice barely a rustle of leaves on a cool autumn day, murmured, “I love you.”

  
  


Mary, though attempting not to break the spell, moved closer, her eyes never leaving Zelda’s, whispered in return. “And I love you.”

  
  
  


**********

Waking again to the distant sound of ringing, Mary realized it was her telephone, and she hurried from the bed so as to not let it wake a sleeping Zelda.

  
  


She had called out from school for the day, not really sure if or when she’d return, as she felt some recovery time was in order, time to get her life back together, and time to decide what direction she wanted to pursue next. Considering all she’d been through, this felt decadent, all these empty days that stretched before her; a time to sleep, to lie about and read, a time to lavish Zelda with the love that now flowed freely between the two of them.

  
  


Reaching the phone breathlessly, she recognized the voice on the other end, checked the clock on the wall and agreed with the request asked of her. 

  
  


Dressing quietly, running a brush through her hair, she decided she did not have time for the elaborate updo she normally wore, opting to wear it down, pinning it back behind one ear, and she continued to blow one loose curl out of the way as she applied her lipstick and mascara.

  
  


Rushing out with barely a moment to spare, she did take the time to write Zelda a brief note, telling her she wouldn’t be gone long.

  
  


Zelda awoke to a quiet house, Mary’s side of the bed having gone cold, and in her place a note and a hastily plucked deep red rose. Glancing at the note, she hummed to herself, noticing that Mary had selected a much darker shade of lipstick, having blotted her lips on the paper. She breathed in the scent of the rose, an afterthought perhaps to anyone else, but Mary clearly remembered the effect Zelda’s proffered rose had on that long ago rainy night, and the sentiment wasn’t lost on Zelda. 

  
  


She read the note, wondering just where Mary had gone, for her leather coat also seemed to be missing, and she knew the combination of that jacket and deep red lipstick had to mean she was attempting to impress someone.

  
  


Supposing she should check in at the Academy, Zelda dressed, her choice of black skirt suit and ivory, high necked blouse with flowing, lacy jabot she hoped exuded a softer, yet just as intimidating force as Faustus.

  
  


The Academy seemed to be running swimmingly as she walked the halls moments later, popping her head into a few classrooms, the greeting of “Welcome, Directrix!” sending a charge up her spine.

  
  


After a short conversation with Sister Jackson, she was stunned to see Sabrina sitting outside her office, perched on the red velvet settee, her ruby school bag in her lap, and a mischievous look on her face.

  
  


“Auntie Zee!” she cried as Zelda rounded the corner. Zelda gathered the girl into her arms, holding her protectively as if she could ward off the sands of time, the steady progression Sabrina was making to leave the safety of their home, their nest.

  
  


“I haven’t seen you in so long, not really since our field trip, and I wanted to see how you were,” she spoke animatedly, waving her hands about.

  
  


“And just how did you know you’d find me here?” Zelda inquired, conjuring a lit cigarette in her golden holder, and pushing open the doors to her office, the scent of brimstone lightly clinging to the air. The redhead wondered briefly if Hilda knew any herb that might cover that ominous scent, as it reminded her of the ever present danger of Lucifer’s return.

  
  


“Oh, Auntie Hilda told me you’d won! That you were the first High Priestess.” Sabrina’s genuine smile gave Zelda a surge of pride in her niece, as she truly had listened when she had told her the stories of powerful witches of the past, inspiring her malleable little mind that perhaps one day she might walk in her father’s footsteps as High Priestess.

  
  


“It’s just like you told me when I was little; you said witches could be as influential and important as any warlock, and here you are.” The girl positively beamed.

  
  


“Yes, well, I hope to make you and all our coven feel they made the correct choice in electing me, after all, I suppose it is a bit of risk, but I know I have my family behind me, to back me up, to support me.”

  
  


Sabrina began to shift from foot to foot, a sure sign she wasn’t being exactly honest, as Zelda knew from experience.

  
  


“That is why you came today, am I right? To congratulate me?”

  
  


“Yes, and it has a lot to do with supporting _you_ and helping _you,_ Auntie,” she hesitated. “But also….”

  
  


“Why are you really here, Sabrina?” she sighed. “What unnecessary drama have you cooked up?”

  
  


Sabrina narrowed her eyes, the very mirror image of the Directrix herself, and angrily spat out what she had come to say.

  
  


“I only came to tell you that you were right!” 

  
  


Seating herself before the massive desk, her blonde curls positively shaking with her withheld anger, the young witch scowled at her aunt as she lowered herself into the leather chair behind the desk with the utmost dignity, not deigning to give the teenage fit of rage a response. Zelda did, however, find her statement enough of a curiosity to ask about, after looking over some documents piled on her desk, signing a few with a peacock feather quill.

  
  


Her tone unaffected, lowering her reading glasses down to pointedly look at her niece over the rims, Zelda drawled, “And how was I correct, if I may ask?”

  
  


Sighing loudly, Sabrina’s voice contained a more respectful timbre, and she stood, pacing about the room, so much like Zelda yet again.

  
  


“You’ve always been keen on raising me the way my father and mother wanted, you and Aunt Hilda,” she began.

  
  


“Yes, that’s true, we’ve done our best to fulfill their wishes and bring you up in the Church, as we ourselves were raised, your father, Hilda and me.”

  
  


“But you also allowed me to attend mortal school too,” she shuffled her feet as she stood behind the chair where her bag rested.

  
  


“That was more your Aunt Hilda’s doing, I would have preferred home schooling you, a more traditional educational route.”

  
  


Not meeting Zelda’s eyes, Sabrina moved to stand by the blazing fire, toying with the grate latch, the crackling sound increasing as she prodded the flames with the iron poker.

  
  


“And I’ve always been scared to give up my mortal friends when the time came for my Dark Baptism, time to become a full-fledged witch.”

  
  


None of this was news to Zelda, for Sabrina had been fighting tooth and nail to avoid this rite of passage for the past few months, and now, with the new developments in their church, it almost seemed moot to conduct her Dark Baptism. Sabrina could continue on living her dual life until she had chosen for herself what path she would follow, a conversation Zelda had wanted to have with Hilda first, as her co-guardian. But, Sabrina seemed to have come to a decision already.

  
  


“Also true, you would have to leave your mortal friends behind.” A stab of pain shot through her as she thought of Mary, how she would have been forced eventually to move on from her love, if only because of some archaic regulation. Thankfully, those restrictions were no more.

  
  


“Well, after truly thinking it over, after talking to Aunt Hilda, even though she tried to discourage me...” 

  
  


Zelda’s eyes widened as Sabrina continued on, fearing what she’d say next.

  
  


“I’ve decided to go through with it, my Dark Baptism. If it’s what my father and mother wanted for me, I want to do it, to feel closer to them, closer to what you wanted for my life too. And then we will all have signed our names in the Book of the Beast, and I’ll continue on the tradition of all the Spellmans that have come before me.”

  
  


The world seemed to have turned on its ear, so unexpected was this announcement. Quite forgetting about her burning cigarette, the smoldering ash suddenly dropped onto her index finger, singeing the pale digit, but she welcomed the smarting pain as a momentary distraction, and as punishment for another perceived failure she’d committed in leading Sabrina down this path.

“Auntie Zee?” Her eyes snapped up to meet Sabrina’s puzzled gaze. “I thought you’d be happy I decided to do this. After all, you are the High Priestess of the Church of Night.”

  
  


Momentarily at a loss for words, she rose, walking to the door, clearly indicating to Sabrina their time together had ended, and the girl followed her, placing a kiss to her cheek before turning to leave.

  
  


“Sabrina,” Zelda called her back. “I am satisfied that you’ve made peace with this next step in your life, your journey beginning now on the Path of Night. But what of your mortal friends, Baxter High, and your Mr. Kinkle?”

  
  


Shrugging in that characteristic way she had, unconcerned with the consequences of her decision, she threw back over her shoulder, “Maybe it’s time to blend the witch and mortal world after all.”

  
  


Closing the door behind the young witch, Zelda returned to the massive bureau, absent-mindedly fingering the quill again, the documents spread before her indicating her position as the guiding force behind the coven, and she had very much navigated them into these shallow waters, effectively running them aground from the start. 

  
  


Perhaps if she explained to Sabrina, shared her own story, how she had come to realize her power had been held hostage by Lucifer, how she herself had felt the painful consequences of his wrath as surely Sabrina would as well one day. She could not allow her niece to suffer in the same way she had.

  
  


Her grip tightening around the quill, she felt it snap in half, ink spraying across the parchment, her hands. The document she now held, proclaiming that they were to be formally known as the Church of Liberté now was smeared and spotted with the pigment, unrecognizable.

  
  


**********

  
  


Spotting Mary’s car in the drive as she neared the house, Zelda felt immensely relieved. Mary would know what to say, how to approach Sabrina, how to convince and persuade her to change her mind, to delay until she was more mature, more ready for this life altering decision.

  
  
  


“Zelda…” Mary turned toward the door as it opened, and the redhead watched the joyous smile slide off her face at the sight of Zelda’s distress.

  
  


She acted quickly, for Zelda seemed to be deteriorating, pouring a glass of whiskey, then one for herself, pressing it into Zelda’s hand and guiding her to the couch, taking note of the ruined sleeves of her blouse, spotted with black. Knowing how immaculately dressed the woman normally was, this took her back even further. Mary was downright afraid of what had occurred.

  
  


“Did you go to the Academy, darling?” Mary began, observing as Zelda emptied her glass, reached out for Mary’s untouched tumbler and took a few more sips from that one before handing it back. Laying it on the table, Mary gingerly took Zelda’s hands, their cold clamminess revealing her fear and trepidation. 

  
  


She nodded, squeezing Mary’s fingers, willing some of their warmth into her own.

  
  


“Yes, I thought I’d make my rounds, check in on the teachers, make myself seen. And then Sabrina materialized at my office door.”

  
  


“I would say that was a pleasant surprise, but I can see it clearly wasn’t. Is something wrong with Hilda or your nephew?” Mary’s concerned gaze uplifted Zelda, and she cupped the woman’s cheek.

  
  


“They are all healthy and fine, Sabrina’s visit was to inform me of a decision she’s made, a choice I pushed her into, and now I must find a way to dissuade her, to steer her onto another path.”

  
  


Mary fought to keep her countenance blank, free of judgement, for she knew Zelda’s innate protectiveness was fueling this need to save her niece from some future disappointment, and Zelda had come to her with this problem, seeking her advice and counsel. Seeming to have forgotten her own recent choices, her lover didn’t see the hypocrisy in what she was saying, but Mary knew her well enough to foresee she had to come to that revelation on her own. 

“And what decision is that?” Mary’s even voice drew Zelda out, and she explained exactly what it meant to sign your name in Lucifer’s book, what it would mean for Sabrina, to her friends, to her future.

  
  


“So you can see that it is a truly misguided, ill-informed option for her, can’t you?” Zelda almost pleaded with Mary, asking for her validation.

  
  


Mary was of two minds in that moment, and neither of them comforted her, for on the one hand she wanted to remind Zelda of her own recent declarations, her need for freedom; she wanted to call out Zelda for not seeing what was in front of her face. But on the other hand, the woman was finally, finally opening herself to Mary, freely giving the trust they so needed to continue their relationship, and Mary couldn’t bear the thought of crushing that now open line of communication. 

  
  


In the end she took a very neutral tone, while holding onto Zelda’s hands between their two laps, knees touching as they faced each other.

  
  


“I can see how her decision is causing you to respond in this way,” Mary lightly squeezed the fingers intertwined with hers. “It must be quite disheartening after your recent departure from your alliance with Lucifer.”

  
  


Zelda stood then, taking the half empty glass and drinking the remaining ounces of whiskey, then pacing in front of the hearth.

  
  


“I knew you would understand, she can’t do this, her life will be utterly ruined, she will lose everything eventually for he demands absolute submission, a complete and total devotion to the Path of Night. It hasn’t even occurred to her how those mortal friends she holds so dear will pass on long before she will, and that is if he doesn’t take them from her…”

  
  


Mary sensed her rising hysteria, knew she was fixating on the recent traumatic events they themselves had suffered, wanted to stop the tumble of words that were escaping her lips, but she also thought by letting it all out Zelda might relieve herself in some way.

  
  


Halting in front of Mary, Zelda knelt down, placing herself at eye level with the brunette.

  
  


“Would you talk to her, love? She respects you immensely, she would listen to you, I just know it.”

  
  


Pursing her lips, Mary took Zelda’s anguished face in her hands, wishing she had the power to make this right.

  
  


“And what would I say? I barely understand your world as it is, let alone to give advice,” Mary did feel a wave of sadness for Zelda, for her perceived failure and loss of control, for these things drove her, however much she had grown and changed, for old habits were hard to break.

  
  


“But, I do know a bit about the teenage mind. It changes rapidly, with any given circumstance. Tomorrow she may feel differently, and perhaps with Mr. Kinkle’s persuasive powers, she may be swayed to wait or consider another option. Why not wait it out, see what happens?”

  
  


Waiting was not Zelda’s strong suit, but she had to acknowledge that Mary had a point. Nothing had to be settled this minute, and she certainly knew this extra time she had been given with Mary should not be spent in worry over some event that may not even occur. 

  
  


“What did I ever do to deserve someone as perceptive, kind, patient…..I could go on listing your glowing qualities, Mary.” 

  
  


Mary had to laugh at that, and Zelda’s agonized face relaxed into something more serene. It was then she noticed Mary’s attire, or rather, Lilith’s.

  
  


“And how selfish of me to not notice you, I was so wrapped up in my own issues. I apologize, my love. What brought you to wear this today?”

  
  


Removing her black rimmed glasses, Mary brushed back the curls from her face, rubbing her lips together, still lined with the waxy crimson lipstick she was unaccustomed to. 

  
  


“Well,” she rose, gathering their glasses and walking toward the kitchen, giving Zelda the full effect of the dress she’d chosen earlier that morning, one of the more modest ones Lilith left behind, the turquoise and raw umber patterned fabric accenting her eyes as well as her curves. Finishing off the outfit were a pair of rosy brown pumps, which Mary still wore, her bare legs exposed to Zelda’s fascinated gaze.

  
  


“I received a phone call this morning, an invitation to the school board office.” Standing at the sink, she rinsed the glasses, then turned to Zelda who leaned her hip against the kitchen counter.

  
  


“And?” Zelda prodded, a slight scowl marring her faultless features.

  
  


“So impatient.” Chuckling at the woman’s now petulant face, Mary pressed her lightly into the counter’s edge as she kissed the frown from her lips, her hands clutching the counter on either side of the woman’s body, melding their bodies together as the kiss deepened. Zelda’s hands roamed freely over Mary’s back and sides, ending their journey tangled in her hair, twisting and pulling as their mouths met again and again. They parted moments later, breathless, still stamped as one. 

  
  


“What were we talking about?” The lustful leer in Mary’s eyes turned them almost grey, and she contemplated continuing this conversation in the bedroom, but she decided that could wait a few more moments.

  
  


“You were telling me about your call and the school board,” Zelda began peppering Mary’s face with kisses, moving down to her neck when Mary turned her head to give her easier access.

  
  


“Yes,” Mary panted, reaching the point where rational thought was becoming nearly impossible, especially with Zelda’s tongue in her ear.

“They offered me,” She paused as a stocking clad leg made its way between her thighs, spreading her legs as far as the restrictive skirt she wore would allow, rocking against it, the pressure increasing as Zelda’s hand found the zipper of her dress. “They offered me Hawthorne’s job.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Comments are loved and appreciated <3


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